The Carnival

"This actually isn't half bad." I chuckled as Jeremy and I walked around the school carnival. "Elena, Bonnie, Ava, and Spencer did a great job."

Jeremy chuckled as he rubbed my shoulder, a black stuffed horse under his other arm. "Yeah they did." he kissed my temple. "So you were saying about the whole 'wooden stake' aspect of killing a vampire."

I nodded, "Right, well that method has been around for as long as vampires. It's believed by some cultures that certain trees had mystical properties and therefore believed they could kill an 'immortal' creature such as vampires." I tucked loose hair behind my ear, "Of course there are other, more violent methods."

"Like what?" Jeremy pressed, pulling me closer and kissing the top of my head.

"Decapitation, dismemberment then set on fire, heart extraction." I looked up and smiled, raising my eyebrows. "Of course, heart extraction is the hardest. It takes a great deal of force to punch straight through the sternum and grab the heart." I lightly jabbed Jeremy's chest for emphasis.

We passed by the karaoke booth, where Cassandra was dancing on the stage, microphone in hand and singing '(You Drive Me) Crazy' by Britney Spears. "Huh, I didn't know Cassie was back in town." Jeremy muttered. "I haven't seen her in about a year."

"You know her?" I asked, looking up at him.

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, her and Vicki were friends." he twisted a strand of my hair around his finger. "Do you know her?"

I smiled and looked back to Cassie, "Yeah, she's a demigod too." I informed. "A daughter of Apollo."

Jeremy nodded, "Makes sense." he shrugged, rubbing my arm. "Come on, let's grab something to eat."

"Sounds good." I pecked his cheek as we walked away, Cassie's voice carrying through the speakers across the carnival grounds.

As we approached the food cart, my watch beeped. "What's the alarm for?" Jeremy asked, setting the black horse he won me at the dart booth to the side.

"To remind me to take my pain medication." I answered, digging my prescription bottle from my bag. "My dad wants me to take these, just because the extent of my injuries were near-fatal. But, I did mix in some Ambrosia powder, just to speed up the healing process." I popped one of my pills, covered in the purple powder and swallowed, licking my lips. "Gods that's awful."

"Here, drink this." Jeremy handed me his soda, which I gulped down. I wiped my chin with my jacket sleeve, catching my breath.

"Jeremy." Damon chuckled, walking up to us. "So good to see you alive."

I rolled my eyes and stepped up beside Jeremy. "Aren't you a little old for a school carnival?" I questioned, standing tall.

"About 150 years too old." Damon noted, taking a piece of popcorn Jeremy had just ordered.

My boyfriend just shook his head and scoffed. "You're pretty funny cracking jokes when I could blow the whole lid off this thing by telling someone what you really are." he threatened, standing between me and Damon.

"Oh, please tell me that that is not a threat." Damon smirked.

"Maybe it is." Jeremy replied, turning his back and walking away, wrapping his arm around me.

In an instant, Damon had Jeremy in a chokehold and had shoved me into the side of a dumpster. "Okay, this is what we're not gonna 're not gonna walk around like we're invincible when it's this easy for me to end you." he released Jeremy, who stumbled slightly but kept on his feet. "If you wanna tell people what I really am, go ahead and try. I will shove this ring," he held up the Gilbert family ring he snatched, "so far up your ass you'll really have something to choke on." he tossed it to me and turned his back.

I gave the ring back to Jeremy and set my crutches against the dumpster. "Damon, if you were as smart as you were cocky, you'd know better than to spout threats in front of me." I narrowed my eyes as he turned to face me.

Damon shook his head, "In your current state, you couldn't take me little demi-slayer." he chuckled.

He turned his back and I smirked, "Guess you don't want to hear the message Katherine told me to give to you." I called. That made him halt. Then, he rushed towards me, his blue eyes boring down into my brown ones. My smirk only grew, "She said that if you try to weasel your way around the rules of her little game, every single one of Elena's loved ones will meet a very unpleasant end." I quoted her verbatim.

Damon pushed me against the dumpster, his eyes set in a glare. "When did she tell you this?" he demanded.

"Last night, she came into my hospital room." I answered, resisting his strength. "I don't know what her game is, but I see something in common between you two."

"Oh really?" Damon questioned, releasing his grip on my shoulders. "What?"

I broke his arm and got behind him, keeping my braced arm around his neck and bent him over my shoulder. "You both threatened Jeremy." I said in a low voice only he could've heard. "Let's see how you like it." with all the strength I could muster I broke Damon's spine and neck simultaneously, dropping his limp body.

"Okay, that was sexy." Jeremy stated, smiling at me.

I shook my head and dragged Damon's body to the dumpster, tossing him onto some garbage bags, brushing my hands together after. "That felt good." I grabbed my crutches and walked up to Jeremy. "That'll keep him down for an hour or so." I chuckled.

Jeremy wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him, kissing me. I wrapped my arms around his neck to steady myself, kissing back. Jeremy's other arm snaked around my upper back, his fingers twisting around my hair. He lifted me off the ground, holding the back of my head, deepening our kiss. I ran my hands through his hair, smiling against his lips, a light giggle escaping.

"Let's get outta here." Jeremy voted, still holding me off the ground.

I nodded. "I'll call us a cab." I steadied myself as I grabbed my crutches. "Where do you want to go?" we walked to the edge of the school parking lot and I pulled out a small whistle, hailing the Chariot of Damnation by tossing a drachma onto the center line, "Stêthi 'Ô hárma diabolês."

The taxi materialized and skidded to a halt right in front of us. I opened the backdoor and let Jeremy get in first, following suit and shutting the door. "So, just wanna head back to your place or did you have something else in mind?" I looked over at him, laying my crutches over my knees.

"The Salvatore House." Jeremy answered.

"684 Abernathy Road." I informed the Gray Sisters. "It's a giant boarding house on the hill, can't miss it."

"Right away young demigoddess." said Tempest, who was the driver.

I grabbed Jeremy's hand, "Brace yourself." I whispered, just as the taxi lurched forward. We both pressed our backs into the seat as the scenery around Mystic Falls sped past us in a blur.

"Who are they?" Jeremy asked, staring at the three sisters in the front.

"You know the Fates from Greek myth?" I whispered back. "That's basically them. This taxi is the quickest mode of transportation for any demigod." I chuckled, "So, why the boarding house?"

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders. Before he could speak, the taxi skidded to a stop and we both lurched forward and were flung back into the seats. "That'll be twenty drachmas." all three sisters said in unison, looking back at me.

I nodded, "Okay, as soon as I get out, I'll pay you." I opened the door and carefully stepped out, shifting my weight slightly and shaking off the head rush from the drive. I dug through my small purse and counted twenty drachmas. The sister known as Wasp rolled the window down and held out her hand, which I placed the coins in. She gripped my wrist, and stared right at me with their shared eye. "Beware the immortal creature of two lineages." she warned. "A powerful talisman over four flaming circles. Creatures bound by the moon and sun, the immortal warrior, and the shadow self, all sacrificed to break the binding. Two will pass to the Other Side, while two will be reborn by the sun's rising."

I yanked my arm back as the taxi sped away and was soon out of sight in a cloud of smoke. My hair blew from the gust created and all I could do was stand there, jaw open. "What in Hades does that even mean!" I yelled into thin air. "Crazy witches." I shook my head and walked up the stairs and through the threshold just in time to see Jeremy open the bottle of bourbon on the table behind the couch. "And what are you doing?" I asked, giving him a slightly judgmental look.

"I was planning on lacing it with vervain." he answered, turning to face me.

I made my way into the living room, taking a seat on the couch, stretching my legs out. "May I ask why?" I pondered, pouring myself a glass of bourbon before Jeremy dumped a vial of vervain in the bottle.

He took the spot beside me, draping my legs across his lap. "It's something John said to me before he left. About being raised to hate vampires." Jeremy looked down at the Gilbert family ring, twisting it around his finger. "If my dad were still here, I wonder what he-" he bit his lip, closing his eyes.

"Jer." I sighed, reaching across to take his hand in both of mine, caressing the back of it. "I'm sure he'd be proud of you. You've always stood up for what you believe in." I tilted his head so we could see each other. "You never gave up on me, even after finding out what I was."

"Yeah well, you still have a beating heart." Jeremy reminded.

"Yeah well, I met John at the Founder's kickoff party when he came back into town." I sighed. "He looked me straight in the eyes and said if I cared about you, I should stay away."

With his free hand, Jeremy brushed some hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. "Thanks for not listening to him." he chuckled, rubbing his thumb over my bottom lip. "I wish my parents could've met you."

My lips curled into a smile, "I'm not exactly the type of girl to bring home to your parents." a light chuckle escaped me as I looked down.

"Look at me." Jeremy whispered. I moved my eyes back up to his, his thumb caressing my chin. He leaned in closer, tilting my face up to meet his. I closed my eyes as Jeremy's lips brushed over mine, sending a shiver down my spine. Our fingers interlocked, molding perfectly together.

I pulled back first, touching my forehead to his, my lips curling into a smile. "Go grab a piece of wood from the pile." I told him. "I'll show you how to sharpen it to a point."

Jeremy grinned and kissed my forehead, grabbing a long, thick piece of wood. I pulled a small dagger from my boot. When Jeremy sat back down, I took the wood from him. "Okay, now, basic common sense, scrape away." I demonstrated by scraping the blade down the stake. "It takes time and concentration." I handed the wood and knife to Jeremy, slowly guiding his hand as he whittled away to the point.

I laid my head on his shoulder, holding onto his arm. I didn't know why, but whenever I was with Jeremy, it was like there was something more to my life than just being a demigoddess daughter of the Greek god of War. I found myself gazing at him, my heart fluttering, and for the life of me couldn't understand why. I barely knew Jeremy, and he had no idea what I was capable of.

"What are you two doing here?" Damon cleared his throat.

I jerked back, seeing Damon standing a few feet from us, his arms crossed. I cleared my throat and batted my eyelashes, reaching for the glass of bourbon I poured earlier. "The carnival got boring so we decide to sneak in and drink your booze." I lied, downing the liquor.

"And cuddling on my couch apparently." Damon shook his head. "Do either of your sisters know you're here?"

"Nope." I answered, shaking my head.

The older vampire simply shook his head and joined us in the living room, opening the glass bourbon bottle. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw that Jeremy looked away, "I wouldn't." he muttered.

Damon raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting towards me. I sighed, glancing from Jeremy back to Damon, "It's laced with vervain." I informed, resting my elbow on the back of the couch, my temple laying over my braced hand.

"Now why would either of you do that?" Damon pressed.

"So I could stake you with this." Jeremy spoke up, holding the stake in clear view.

Damon smirked, shaking his head. "You came here to kill me?" he questioned, pacing around to the side of the couch.

"Well, it's only fair." Jeremy pointed out, standing up and facing Damon. "You killed me first."

Damon never faltered, "What made you wisen up?"

Jeremy shrugged. "My father hated vampires. My uncle too." his voice was low, with a little uncertainty. "They were absolute. They knew exactly what they stood for. And I figure maybe I should too. I mean, stand for something."

Seeing the conflicting emotions in his eyes, I got up from the couch and wrapped both of my hands around his arm, leaning into his back for support. "What's killing Damon gonna do for you exactly?" I whispered, laying my chin on his shoulder. Jeremy looked into my eyes and shook his head. I used my braced hand to brush some loose strands of hair from his face, giving him a gentle smile. He dropped the stake and wrapped his arms around me, laying his cheek against my temple as he ran his hand over my hair. I closed my eyes and leaned into his shoulder. "Thank you Lucy." Jeremy whispered, kissing the side of my head.

Damon cleared his throat, staring at the two of us. "Look, I don't do the whole big brother thing very well. Sorry I don't have any cookies and milk to offer you kids."

I rolled my eyes, looking in his direction. "Dick." I scoffed, leading Jeremy to the front door.

"Wait." Damon called, halting us. "My father hated vampires too." he admitted, plopping down on the couch. "For the same reason your dad did." he glanced at Jeremy. "Only it was 1864. People knew how to whittle." he held up the, crudely crafted stake. "Did you do this?"

Jeremy chuckled. "Yeah, I tried. It's harder than it looks."

I giggled, "Don't worry, after the first dozen or so, it gets easier." I informed, lightly nudging his side. "You'll get the hang of it."

The front door opened and I glanced over my shoulder and saw Ava strode inside. "What brings you two here?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"They were just leaving." Damon interrupted, stepping up beside me. "Ava, you can take little Gilbert home, and I'll take the demi-slayer."

Ava just shrugged her shoulders, "Okay fine, whatever. C'mon Jeremy." she spun on her heels and walked right out the front door, unlocking her Impala.

Damon and I followed and he opened the passenger side door to his '67 Camaro. I turned to face Jeremy, who's eyes still reflected uncertainty. "Hey, you'll find your niche, don't worry." I assured. "It'll take some time to process everything. It will get easier."

Jeremy met my eyes and nodded, taking my hand in his, "At least I've got you to help me through it." he caressed the back of my hand. "Maybe I'll be just as badass as you one day."

I chuckled, "In your dreams. I've had years to perfect the craft that is my badassness." I licked my lips, squeezing his hand. "I'll call you." I leaned up and pecked his cheek. "Goodnight Jeremy."

I slid into the passenger seat of Damon's car, propping my leg on the dashboard and holding the stuffed black horse on my lap.

The drive was annoyingly quiet. That is until Damon dropped a bombshell, "Caroline's a vampire now."

I looked over at him. "Let me guess, Katherine."

Damon nodded. "Yep." he confirmed. "Ava's taking responsibility for teaching her 'Vampire 101'."

I shrugged. "The real problem is Katherine." I scoffed. "I say we hunt that bitch down, torture he until she spills her guts as to why she's here, then kill her."

"A demigoddess after my own heart." Damon sneered. "But, it won't be that easy."

"Good." I smirked, "I do love a challenge."